History SchmuckBait / LiveActionTV

* The premise behind ''Series/BaitCar'', which illustrates amusing examples of would-be car thieves. A car that should gain a nice profit when stolen and resold is set up with a device that will gradually cut off the fuel when a signal is sent (to prevent sudden stops and accidents), doors that will stay locked when they receive a signal, a tracking device, and All the hidden cameras. The first police departments to use them spread the word via extensive media campaigns that they were rigging the cars up and setting them out as bait, mostly to avoid entrapment claims. Yet after all that, and showings of select videos on dumb criminals shows...

** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E4TheTimeOfAngels "The Time of Angels"]]: "Come and see this!"[[note]]\\
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/The_Time_of_Angels_8637.jpg\\
'''[[NeckSnap SNAP!]]'''[[/note]]

* ''Series/{{QI}}'' runs on this trope, since it is primarily about debunking commonly held beliefs. Panellists will be greeted with a siren and point deduction if they give the generally-known, obvious and WRONG answer to a question. Most panellists have come expect this and avoid obvious answers, unless it would be funny. Alan Davis is the preferred target for Schmuck Bait, receiving a siren for [[spoiler:incorrectly]] answering a "How do you do?" with "Fine, thanks." and once for simply pressing his buzzer when prompted.
** So the panellists know that obvious questions are schmuck bait. But the question setters know that the panellists know, so set schmuck bait questions that aren't. The panelists won't answer, so Stephen has to force the answer out of them, cajoling them until one says they will 'take the bullet for the team', and being surprised the obvious answer is the correct answer, leading to one of Creator/{{David Mitchell|Actor}}'s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONsrQtnvZcs rants]]. Of course when Stephen has to cajole the answer, and refuses to move on it must be because the answer IS right, so they know to give it. The production team know that the panellists know this. So the obvious answer IS wrong...

* In ''Series/OnceUponATime'', "Save Henry". Regina, Snow White, and Emma are hunting down Peter Pan when they see PandorasBox just sitting on the ground. Seeing as how the box is a FateWorseThanDeath for anyone inside it, and [[spoiler:Rumplestiltskin]] ''is'' inside it, Regina ''immediately'' deduces it's a trap. Snow White doesn't listen, goes to the box, [[invoked]][[WhatAnIdiot and sets off the trap]].

* In an episode of ''Series/{{Hyperdrive}}'', the Captain falls for a "Hero Trap", believing that an ancient society needs help, and will give him great rewards, despite his security officer Eldon repeatedly telling him what an obvious trap it is.

* In ''Series/ZekeAndLuther'', Zeke takes a bath in a hotel. Near the tub is a sign saying [[RuleOfFunny Don't stick fingers in the faucet]]. He does it and it remains stuck,f orcing him to do a stunt with a faucet stuck to his toe.Better than the other idea, though (which was to saw his toe off.)

* In ''Zeke & Luther'', Zeke takes a bath in a hotel. Near the tub is a sign saying [[RuleOfFunny Don't stick fingers in the faucet]]. He does it and it remains stuck,f orcing him to do a stunt with a faucet stuck to his toe.Better than the other idea, though (which was to saw his toe off.)

* In ''Series/OnceUponATime'', "Save Henry". Regina, Snow White, and Emma are hunting down Peter Pan when they see PandorasBox just sitting on the ground. Seeing as how the box is a FateWorseThanDeath for anyone inside it, and [[spoiler:Rumplestiltskin]] ''is'' inside it, Regina ''immediately'' deduces it's a trap. Snow White doesn't listen, goes to the box, [[WhatAnIdiot and sets off the trap]].